Photo By Michael Crane | Staff Sgt. Aubrey Hays, a radar, airfield and weather systems specialist with the...... read more read more
Years ago, Aubrey Hays stood in the crowd at the Sound of Speed Air Show, watching the U.S. Navy Blue Angels roar across the sky in tight formation. The experience was unforgettable — and unexpected. Hays hadn’t considered a military path before that day, but something about the energy, precision, and purpose of the event stuck. On a whim, she decided to join the Missouri Air National Guard.
Now, seven years later, Hays, who is a staff sergeant, has come full circle. As a radar, airfield, and weather systems specialist with the 241st Combat Airfield Operations Squadron, she helps make those same kinds of air shows possible — not from the grandstands, but from the ground up.
Hays played a critical role in enabling airfield operations for the Wingnuts Flying Circus Air Show in Tarkio, Missouri, on July 12, 2025.
She and a small team arrived three days before the event to set up mobile systems required to support flight operations. Hays led a team responsible for assembling and maintaining two of the four large antennas — equipment vital for communication and control during the show.
Daily operations included raising and lowering the antennas, which had to be taken down each evening for wind safety. Powering up the site was an early-morning group effort, with radar and HVAC specialists working together to get systems online before antennas could be raised.
Outside the tower area, Hays’s team was also responsible for setting up wind-monitoring equipment at both ends of the runway. These Tactical Meteorological Observation Systems, or TACMETs, feed real-time wind data to air traffic controllers, allowing them to make informed decisions about aircraft approach and landing directions. Each unit had to be checked regularly throughout the day to ensure consistent power and data output.
The setup, which began Wednesday morning and ran into the evening, required a convoy of trucks moving at a limited speed, carrying sensitive and heavy equipment to the site. Early arrival allowed the team to scout and adjust for any terrain challenges — like unexpected ditches — that could affect antenna placement and system alignment.
Though most of their work was done out of the public eye, the event offered moments of interaction with curious civilians. Visitors would occasionally approach the radar setup, interested in the technology and operations. Hays welcomed the opportunity to explain the role maintainers play in keeping communications and safety systems functioning.
Hays attended Hillyard Technical Center in St. Joseph and originally planned to study architecture. But the Guard offered something different — a sense of purpose, camaraderie, and the opportunity to serve locally and globally.
Now, with years of experience and multiple missions under her belt, Hays continues to contribute to operations that connect the military with communities, one airfield at a time.
| Date Taken: | 07.12.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.21.2025 12:41 |
| Story ID: | 543363 |
| Location: | TARKIO, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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